Briefs

At Plano Animal Clinic (PAC), we use both conventional and alternative therapies. When alternative therapy is recommended for our patients, it is because Dr. Ward believes it to have a significant benefit over the conventional therapy for a particular disease condition. For instance, in the case of viral disease, there is no conventional therapy other than supportive care. The alternative therapy might be more effective, safer, less expensive, less traumatic, less invasive, or all of the above. On the other hand, when conventional therapy is safe, effective, and reasonably priced, we do not hesitate to recommend it for our patients. Dr. Ward endeavors to use what works to heal the patient. A number of the alternative therapies used at PAC were designed all or in part by Dr. Ward and are so noted.

PAC makes no claim that our methods are superior to those used by other veterinary clinics and hospitals, but only that they have worked well for us. As we use both conventional and alternative methods of treatment, PAC would not be classified as “holistic,” though many of our therapies are designed to treat the whole patient. We use an immune enhancing approach to heal the patient from the inside out, as opposed to relying solely on pharmaceuticals for symptomatic relief. However, as with any form of medical therapy, conventional or alternative, there is no stated or implied guarantee of success.

Healing from Within

It has been my experience that improving a patient's immune system frequently enables that patient to recover from physical diseases. Variables that can affect treatment outcome are duration of illness, patient's age and genetic make-up, nature of the illness, etc. While specific drug therapy may also be necessary, treatment methods that help the patient's own immune system recognize and respond to the illness seem to be the most effective.

The treatment methods that have been the most beneficial for our patients over the past few years include:

Immune modulation

VOM spinal adjustments

Cold LASER therapy

LED acupuncture

Each method promotes healing from within, though they do it in different ways.

Immune modulating therapy, when successful, signals the immune system to "kick in" and respond to the specific disease process affecting the patient. We endeavor to accomplish this at PAC by using a variety of agents and protocols from complexed antioxident, amino acid, and fatty acid formulations to patient specific immunotherapy and homeopathics.

VOM (Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation) is a non-painful, harmless, instrument-based technique of adjusting the spine. VOM effectively puts the body back into communication with itself, while reducing pain and muscle spasms that hold the injury in place. Combining VOM with Erchonia cold laser therapy, and LED light-point acupuncture into a treatment modality unique to PAC (PAC Back and Spine Protocol™) has produced results that amaze even us. We have helped many acutely paralyzed and partially paralyzed dogs walk, run, and play again using these non-invasive, painless techniques. We have also helped many cats with moderate to severe back pain (feline hyperesthesia) fully recover.

Dr. Wards' Back and Spine Protocol™ also increases blood flow and improves nerve conduction to all parts of the body. Consequently, this form of therapy can also benefit such diverse conditions as liver or kidney disease, megaesophagus (ballooning esophagus) in dogs, and megacolon (ballooning colon) in cats. The last two have responded very will to our combination of VOM, cold LASER, and LED acupuncture, which gives us insight into the real cause behind these maladies.

The Erchonia red and violet cold lasers, utilized in our back and spine protocol, have many other uses as well. They have thousands of available frequencies allowing them to be programmed for specific tissues and disease conditions. These focused, pure-red and pure-violet light energies increase the chemical energy production of each individual cell, enhancing each ones ability to repair and maintain itself, which in turn promotes a healing response in the tissues, organs, and ultimately in the whole body.

Our greatest gains in patient care in thirty years of practice have come in the last several years by using the above mentioned techniques and methods. These methods benefit the entire patient - cells, tissues, muscles, organs, joints, spine, and nerves. Most patients benefit markedly when these areas are improved.

Note: The preceding article represents Dr. Ward's personal opinion based on his research of the medical literature and his clinical experience. As with any conventional or alternative medical therapy, there is no stated or implied guarantee of success with any of our treatment protocols. We do not advocate these methods as a cure or treatment for cancer. By law, we are prohibited from consulting with the owners of pets we have not personally examined. Your understanding in this matter is appreciated.

Brief Descriptions of PAC Alternative Therapies

Allergies

The Plano Animal Clinic (PAC) allergy protocol was developed at PAC by Dr. Alan Ward (winter/spring 2011) and has shown great promise in treating allergic skin disorders.

Conventional therapy frequently relies on steroids (cortisone) to suppress the symptoms. While often initially successful, the effectiveness of steroids decreases over time and may produce undesirable side effects. These side effects may include frequent urination, increased waterconsumption, increased appetite, and increased risk of infection.

The PAC allergy protocol uses the patients own DNA to produce a patient-specific therapy that modulates, rather than suppresses, the immune system. When successful, the patients itchiness and accompanying symptoms are significantly reduced. Additionally, the patients tend to be less reactive to allergens and more resistant to infections.

Approximately 80% of patients treated with the PAC allergy protocolhave responded favorably, though individual patient response may vary.

Note: Many pets with allergies also have secondary infections that require treatment. As with any allergy control method, treatment with the PAC protocol is ongoing. Allergies are managed rather than cured. Other sources of itchiness include flea infestations and food sensitivities, and these must also be addressed.

Ultra low-dose interferon plays an integral role in the PAC treatment protocol. A study by Weiss, Cummins, and Richards regarding the use of low dose interferon to treat feline leukemia virus (JAVMA, November 15, 1991) provided the foundation for the antiviral protocol used at PAC.

Our overall success rate for treating viral disease has been very good, though individual response may vary.

NOTE: Surgical intervention by qualified veterinary surgeon is standard of care for acute paralysis and other serious musculoskeletal injuries. VOM spinal adjustment / cold laser acupuncture is alternative if surgery not possible for owner due to age of patient, expense of surgery, availability, etc.

NOTE: Dogs will test negative on direct test shortly after beginning therapy. The antigen test will take longer to test negative than will conventional therapy because the adult heartworms die more gradually. However, the more gradual death of the heartworm adds to the safety of the PAC alternative heartworm protocol.

NOTE: Standard of care for patients with visibly swollen eyes or markedly elevated pressures are examination and treatment by veterinary ophthalmologist, often with surgery to follow. Untreated glaucoma causes pain and blindness. Treating glaucoma can reduce or eliminate the pain and reduce the rate of blindness. PAC alternative therapy may be considered when exam and surgical intervention by veterinary ophthalmologist not possible due to availability, expense, lack of access, etc.

PAC (Plano Animal Clinic) has tried a number of alternative methods of treating cancer over the years, most of which were ineffective. This should come as no surprise as no treatment can offer a cure save complete surgical removal. Lately though, we've had two cancer patients suffering with lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma respectively, do significantly better than anticipated. While it is certainly possible that these two cases were flukes, nevertheless they have given us a glimmer of hope. Perhaps we will be able to take the methods used on these two patients and develop them into a working protocol that could help other veterinary patients struggling with cancer.

It should be noted that cancer is an extremely formidable opponent and aggressively fights back against any attempt to vanquish it. Therefore any attempt to lay seige to a cancer may have the unintended, though not uncommon consequence of harming or even hastening the demise of the patient. These are the risks taken when treating any cancer patient. but the alternative is to do nothing which brings to mind the old saying: "nothing ventured, nothing gained."